Oyster culture (Crassostrea lugubris) in Lang Co Lagoon, Vietnam.
Abstract Grow-out culture of oyster (Crassostrea lugubris) is developing spontaneously at Lang Co lagoon (Thua Thien Hue province). Various culture systems are used: culture on cement block stakes as a holdfast connected to a trellis, culture in a small cage hanging on a trellis, culture on wooden stakes (bamboo or cajeput stakes), culture on rubber tyres, and culture on stones. The culture depth differs depending on the culture style: about 4-6 m on a trellis and 1.5-2 m on wooden stakes and on stones. The chosen substrate is muddy bottom or muddy sand. The salinity of the culture area is 4-5‰ in the rainy season and 27-30‰ in the dry season. Oyster seed is collected from the wild, two times per year: in April and July. The culture duration is prolonged, at about 10-12 months. The commercial size of oyster is 9-11 cm long and about 200 g per piece. The price of commercial oyster is VND 5,000 kg-1 (about US$ 0.30 kg-1).